The University of Huddersfield is Top of the Class

News & Press January 11 2017, Alexander Pooley

When choosing a university to study at, the quality of the teaching staff and the types of projects and research the institution is involved in, are some of the key considerations. Which is why students will soon be flocking to the University of Huddersfield in greater numbers than they already are!

According to new research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFEC), The University of Huddersfield tops the chart for having the best-qualified teaching staff of all universities in the UK. This data, which was gathered by analysing 3 years-worth of data collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on teaching qualifications, found that a whopping 90% of academics at Huddersfield University hold a teaching qualifications, compared to 84% at the second-placed university.

Given the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) that is being introduced by the UK government this year, such high levels of qualifications and teaching standards will prove vitally important, impacting on areas such as funding and student recruitment.

But the university’s commitment to excellence in teaching goes beyond this standard, with all full-time, permanent lecturers having doctorates or being currently enrolled on a doctorate programme.

Professor Tim Thornton, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the university, said:

“Everyone at Huddersfield puts the experience of our students at the heart of their work. I am delighted that these figures confirm the University of Huddersfield’s position as sector’s leader in our commitment to high-quality teaching and learning.”

Another project that is sure to attract interest in the university is the new £10m manufacturing research hub that will be opening this year. Part of a nationwide project worth £30m, the Future Metrology Hub will be one of just six such centres to be opened in the UK. Based in the university’s Centre for Precision Technologies, the project has already received £10m in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, with a further £15m being pledged by industry partners.

Professor Jane Jiang, who will head this innovative multi-million pound research hub, said:

“Our vision is to develop new technologies and universal methods that will integrate measurement science with design and production processes to improve control, quality, and productivity. These will become part of the critical infrastructure for a new generation of digital, high-value manufacturing”.

Such a large-scale and exciting project is sure to entice new talented students and staff, not just from around the UK but from across the globe. This, in turn, makes the town of Huddersfield a big draw for business and investment. It’s fair to say that the future is certainly looking bright for the University of Huddersfield and the town itself.